Call Me Kirby (and Welcome to my Life 180°)

[Kirby]

I have this theory. In one year's time, my life can be completely different. I'm talking a 180° turn around, in just one year. This idea... this theory... has me a little overwhelmed, but also ecstatic. Because the power to change my life is in my hands and maybe this time, I will actually make the decisions let set me on this path of my Life 180°.

So let me paint you a picture of where I've been, where I'm at, and where I'm wanting to go:

My name is Kirby. I've moved around a lot in my 22 years. I grew up in the Southern States (Georgia, Tennessee, Texas, Louisiana, Florida) and have spent some time out west as well (New Mexico and currently, Utah). Growing up, I was the nerd outcast. I liked the wrong type of music, dressed the wrong kind of way, and made the mistake of actually caring about my grades. And I liked to read. A lot. Since I was a little kid, I've had two true loves in my life: literature and being active, any sort of active. I played baseball with my best friend up the street, I played basketball with the kid next door, I played cops and robbers and hide and seek with my sisters constantly, and I rode my bike/skateboard everywhere I went in the neighborhood. These were every day occurrences in the summer time. When I wasn't outside, I was inside writing short stories, poems, and comic strips. In the second grade, I became famous in my class for creating a comic series entitled "Dino Boy", about a boy with mutant dinosaur powers who fought his arch nemesis, Dr. Killer. The series started towards the end of the first grade and ran through third grade. To this day, it is one of my proudest accomplishments.

In High School, I took up theater and Cross Country. Cross Country was where I found something that truly came naturally to me. I PRed my Junior year with a time of 16:35 on a course slightly longer than a 5k. My Sophomore year, I ran 40 miles in a 24 hour period. Those two iitems are also ranked up there as some of my proudest accomplishments. But then I moved to Utah for my senior year, developed an iron deficiency (who knew men could also get an iron deficiency? I didn't!), and suffered from mild altitude sickness. I went from my PR of 16:35 in a 5k, to a 25:30. I hadn't raced that slow a time since the 8th grade. During my senior year, I did recover from the iron deficiency and ended my year with a 17:13, but my soul was crushed. I stopped running and started focusing more on theater.

When I went to college, things went even more downhill. Unfortunately, I didn't leave my family on good terms and was actually kicked out of the house. I was then estranged from my family for about 6-9 months (don't worry, on great terms with them now ). My diet went from slightly unhealthy but portion controlled and mostly "balanced", to total crap. I ate hot dogs, ramen, cereal, oatmeal and chicken patties, with Mcdonald's and Dominoes and mountains of potato chips thrown in constantly. That was it. No veggies (unless you count french fries), no fruits (unless you count the raisins in my cereal of choice, Raisin Bran), no fresh organic items. Instead of the Freshman 15, I gained a freshman 45. I started smoking. I started drinking. I started partying. I started doing everything that I was ever told not to do. I became a rebel without a cause, and a very destructive one at that. My best friend and I moved in together and, since both of us were estranged from family members at the time, decided to waste all our time to getting drunk or high. I stopped going to school, and eventually flunked out.

It was two years ago that I finally realized I couldn't escape a sobered reality. It would always exist no matter how out of my mind I got. I looked in the mirror, and as cliched as it sounds, I didn't like what I saw. I was overweight, actually had a belly. When I was sixteen, I had a six-pack. You know, one you could see. But mine at 20 was covered by a layer of pepperoni pizza and Big Mac's. I was pale and sickly looking. My hair was falling out. I was in bad shape. So I decided to change. I stopped drinking so much, stopped doing drugs. Started taking online classes to pull my grades up. Started working out intermittently. But I also receded into myself and have become extremely depressed. It was about a year ago that I discovered Nerd Fitness.

For the past year, I've been lurking on here, not ready to commit to a change. But a week ago, I decided its time. That's when the idea for Life 180° came into my head, the idea that I can completely change my life around. I'm still overweight, I still drink too much even if its not as much as before. I still rely on cigarettes when I'm stressed. I'm still not in school and I'm still in crazy amounts of debt. I am also still deathly afraid of putting myself out there to make new friends and start a new life. But in one year, I can change all that. Throughout the following year (my official start date for this project was 11/01), I will be making a few changes. I will be moving to the big city (Salt Lake), reapplying for college there and making an entire new group of friends. I will be teaching myself how to be more frugal with my cash. I will be learning how to cook and attempting the primal lifestyle. I will also be doing fun recreational activities, like learning a martial art, starting to rock climb again, competing in a Slam Poetry Competition, going skydiving. I have a list of 16 items to complete within the next year and I plan to accomplish all of them.

I figured Nerd Fitness was the place to be to start this new chapter of my life, my Epic Quest, my Life 180°. To become a new kind of Rebel, one with a cause worth fighting for, one I can be proud of. I can't wait to get acquainted with all of you and I apologize for the wordy introduction. If you've made it this far, thanks for bearing with me and nice to meet you!

[Guest shaka-spirit]

Hey Kirby Welcome to the rebellion.

Your story is awesome! (I read the whole thing) It takes a great effort to make that final decision to change your life, I commend you

I'm definitely going to keep up with your Life 180° quest.

Good luck!

[ETFnerd]

i hope you're successful...

[Skittle]

Hi Kirby, and welcome to the Rebellion!

[karinalynne]

Hi Kirby! Thank you so much for your post, I could really relate to it in many ways I just decided to get involved myself, and am currently on my own life-turnaround plan. I graduated from college in May outside D.C. and moved down to southern Florida, a state I'd only stepped foot in once before. I did this without having a job lined up here, but because I needed a serious life-overhaul. I faced the "sobering truth" and...well, got sober. Unfortunately, my eating habits got completely out of control and now I am struggling to get my body back to the shape I used to be in. I'm so glad that you've reconnected with your family and it sounds like your goals are meaningful and accomplishable. I wish you the best of luck, and congratulations on committing to make a change! Are you signing up for the next six-week challenge? I'm anxiously awaiting it!

p.s.: love the idea of a Life-180!

[craig]

Go for it Kirby! Its nice to hear people share their problems. I think it makes everyone feel more thankful and even more human that they aren't the only one with hardships. But its even better to hear someone ready to do something awesome to make it better.

[Jonesy]

Welcome Kirby!

I'm so happy that you decided to commit. I wish you much luck!

[Heidi]

Hi, Kirby!

Great list, and great story.

I'm on a path of deliberate (some would say relentless) self-improvement as well.

How are the recent goals coming along?

Hats off to you,

Heidi

[tibi fide]

Hi again! I read your Epic Quest/goals list first, and now read this post. Wow, I have to say, it's very brave of you to share all of that with us "strangers" and really put yourself out there -- I'd say you're already on your way to branching out into your newfound territory and are going to be successful in your endeavor! I think many of us have had a similar path to the one you're on, feeling on top of the world one minute and down in the valley the next. It's incredibly courageous of you to decide that instead of sitting back and saying "man, my life SUCKS, I'll just wait it out and try not to be too miserable..." you're actually taking steps to make your life the way you want it to be.

I will be following your progress and look forward to seeing how you come along. I'm excited to watch the revolution of your life!

Best of luck and take care --

Tibi

[Laureleye]

Kirby, glad you are back on good terms with your family. I hope that all of us can be cheering you along as you make your turnaround. So what are your first near-term goals and plans. Keep us in the loop.

[PandemicHero]

Hey Kirby!

I feel ya on many of your life goals and changes! You can do it. <3